As the House of Representatives elections on 21 Falgun are approaching, the Congress seems directionless, while the UML is moving forward in four directions simultaneously. The Congress has not yet decided whether to go to the elections or not. The UML has adopted four strategies simultaneously: restoring the House of Representatives, street struggles for it, waging a legal battle against the dissolution of the House of Representatives, and making internal preparations for the elections.

The Congress has been in a bind for months, unable to decide on the general convention. President Ram Chandra Poudel has been advising Congress leaders to stand in favor of the elections through informal meetings. Prime Minister Sushila Karki has also expressed confidence that the decision taken by the Congress will remove the confusion over the elections. However, the Congress leadership is embroiled in the issue of whether to hold a general convention before the elections. The first meeting of the Congress Central Working Committee, which began on 28 Asoj, was expected to decide on the general convention. However, as of 4 Mangsir, no decision has been made on this.

In the first meeting of the Central Working Committee on 28 Asoj, Congress President Sherhadur Deuba had given the responsibility of acting president to Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka, with instructions to hold the general convention within the time specified by the statute. However, no agreement has been reached on the issue of the general convention. Deuba has been active in resolving the dispute since he returned from Singapore on 28 Kartik. However, the meeting has been postponed as the dispute could not be resolved. 

Congress indecisive due to personal interests: Deep Kumar Upadhyay [Interview]

Deuba and Khadka are under intense pressure from some leaders, including seven former office bearers of the establishment, who are in favor of not holding the general convention before Baisakh. Their argument is that the general convention should not be held before the election. They plan to pass the agenda for 27-29 Baisakh presented by Joint General Secretary Mahendra Yadav in the meeting of the Congress Central Working Committee.

Former office bearer Bimalendra Nidhi said that the Central Working Committee should not be kept indecisive for a long time as no special or regular general convention is possible before the election. ‘The Central Working Committee meeting should decide to participate in the election,’ Nidhi said, ‘The 15th general convention should be held in Baisakh.’ 

On the other hand, as per the request of Acting President Khadka, General Secretary Gagan Thapa and Bishwaprakash Sharma held discussions with the leaders in favor of the special general convention on Thursday. The general secretaries have stated that they have agreed to bring the agenda of the President for 21-23 Poush but have put forward the condition that the request for the special general convention should be withdrawn. ‘We said that we will not withdraw it as the demand for the special general convention will automatically become inactive if the general convention is held within that date,’ said Congress leader Gururaj Ghimire. 

Professor Krishna Khanal says that the failure to take a decision on the general convention has not only shaken the internal strength of the Congress but also weakened its external trust. He says that the main factor behind this is the self-interest of some individuals. ‘There is only a group full of interests, not ideas, in the Congress,’ said Khanal, ‘The anti-Congress people are dominating the Congress. It has been seen that there is a group that is deviating from principles, values ​​and commitments.’ 

Former minister and former Nepali ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyay, who has distanced himself from active politics of the Congress, says that the current performance of the Congress is a matter of shame for all those interested in policy-making and politics. He says that it is unfortunate that the turmoil brought by the Gen-G movement is considered a normal situation and that the Congress is indecisive until the time of holding the general convention. He expressed concern that the ability to analyze the problem correctly is starting to disappear in the Congress.

‘At least, it is a situation where a convention should be held before the elections. However, it is sad that the Congress is now a prisoner of indecision due to the pure vested interests of some leaders,’ he said. ‘If we open up the active membership and adopt democratic practices, the general convention can be held within two months. The only thing that is done when there is a serious illness in the body is surgery. If we sit and think about how to do it now, what to do without surgery, it will lead to an accident.’ 

Similarly, UML has moved forward with four strategies: restoration of the House of Representatives, street struggle for it, legal fight against the dissolution of the House of Representatives, and internal preparations for the elections. Calling the dissolution of the House of Representatives 'unconstitutional', UML has taken a stand that it should be restored. For this, it has started the homework of collaborating with the Congress.

The meeting of the UML's central committee, secretariat, and dissolved parliamentary party has already decided to find a legal way against the dissolution of the House of Representatives. Former Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula and Whip Sunita Baral have been given the responsibility of filing a writ in the Supreme Court for the restoration of the House of Representatives. Preparations are underway to file the writ by next week.

Along with this, UML is also making internal preparations to go to the elections. Accordingly, the committee and cadres have been instructed to be ready. UML has organized election-targeted programs in all municipalities and 77 districts in the last two weeks in the name of awareness campaign. Awareness meetings were held in municipalities across the country on 25 Kartik and 29 Kartik demanding the restoration of the House of Representatives in all districts. UML is preparing to hold a big rally in Kathmandu on 6th Mangsir to put pressure on the restoration of the House of Representatives.